of brooklyn



Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,848 A. L. MEROLLE RECEPTACLE CLOSURE Filed August 25, 1923 IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS L. MEROLLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EMPIRE METAL CA1 (30., ING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RECEPTACLE CLOSURE.

Application filed August 25, 1923. Serial No. 659,344.

This invention relates to a receptacle closure, an object being to provide a closure for use in connection with the well known divided thread bottles and the like, and to make said closure of exceptionally strong and substantial construction.

A further object is to provide an improved finger hold upon the flange portion of the closure by which the closure may be more readily applied or removed.

A further object is to provide a closure of this type in which no raw edges of metal are left exposed.

A further and more detailed object is to provide a closure having its flange portion formed of double thickness metal at least in the regions carrying the thread lugs which are intended to engage the threads of the bottle, said double thickness of metal being provided by folding back upon itself the metal at the lower edge of the flange, and there being provided a bead at the upper edge of the folded back metal arranged for increasing the finger grip efiiciently and for concealing the raw edge of the metal.

A still further object is to provide a closure of this type having an annular bead intermediate the width of its flange portion, and the metal above and below said bead being preferably corrugated, said features being adapted to greatly increase the finger grip eificiency.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific than those referred to above, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention, and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification,

and in which I have shown merely a preferred form of embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a closure constructed in accordance with this invention, the closure being shown applied to a receptable and there being a portion broken away and shown in vertical section for disclosing detailed construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailed view of a portion of the interior surface of the flange of the closure for illustrating one of the thread lugs and its relation to the other features, and

Figure 3 is a bottom edge view of the part seen in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings for describing in detail the structure therein illustrated, the reference character L indicates the receptacle which is open at its upper end and which may or may not be provided with an annular outstanding bead 1 spaced downwardly from the upper end.

Between the bead and the upper end is provided the usual outstanding threads or projections 2 with which the closure is in tended to engage by interrogation of the closure and receptacle in the usual manner.

The reference character G indicates generally the closure, the same being made up of a cover part 3 and an annular marginal flange 4 for depending about the exterior of the receptacle. The entire closure is formed from a single piece of sheet metal pressed, drawn or otherwise shaped.

The lower annular edge portion of the flange is bent outwardly and backwardly upon itself as at 5 so as to provide a double thickness of metal for the entire lower edge portion of the flange. The lapping portion 5 has its upper edge shaped to provide a bead 6 which extends entirely around the flange, said bead being positioned preferably, though not necessarily, so as to stand zfilpproximately midway in the width of the ange.

In forming this bead the raw edge of metal as. indicated 7 is turned so as to be concealed and protected between the body of the bead and the main portion as H of the flange, it being understood in this connection that the metal ordinarily used in the manufacture of closures of this kind and contemplated for use in the instance illustrated is ordinary commercial sheet tin having its opposite surfaces coated with a rust and corrosion proof lacquer, said lacquer having been applied to the sheet from which the closure is cut. In cutting out the blank from such a sheet the cut edges are of course unlacquered and therefore subjectto corrosion and rust. These edges also would offer a menace to an 'operators fingers, and on these accounts the present invention provides for such protection and concealment of'the raw edges as will entirely overcome their objectionable features and render the entire surface of the closure desirably smooth and properly protected.

The expanse of metal above the head 6 is preferably provided with vertical corrugations 8 while the expanse below said bead is formed with similar corrugation 9. These corrugations, standing in close juxtaposition to the bead and on both sides of said bead so that they provide a highly eflioient finger grip by which an operator may either apply or remove the closure. It should be understood however, that either or both sets of these corrugations may be omitted if desired, but it is noteworthy nevertheless that the corrugations 8 are preferably arranged so that their lower ends abut against the upper edge of the bead 6 and in fact serve to de fine a sort of annular channel into which said upper edge is confined in a manner to prevent likelihood of spreading of the bead at any time.

The thread lugs, as 10, are formed simply by bending in the double thickness metal at the lower edge portion of the flange, and, as illustrated, these lugs are preferably shaped to stand at an incline for properly co-operating with the threads 2 of the receptacle. There may be as many of the lugs circumferentially of the flanges as desired, though ordinarily four are suificient, and it will be understood that there is a similar number of the threads or projections 52 provided upon the receptacle.

By constructing these thread lugs so that they comprise integral parts of the band of double thickness metal which forms the lower half portion of the flange ample strength is secured to enable them to withstand the pressure strains to which they are subjected in use, and yetthey are capable of yielding to a certain and desired extent suitable to permit the several thread lugs to assume a uniform grip upon the receptacle when the closure has been rotated to scaling position.

Considerable value is also attached to the fact that the bead 6 is placed' not directly in the region or plane of the thread lugs but is above said lugs and is yet spaced downwardly from the upper edge of the flange, as by this construction a more or less rigid band or rib is incorporated into the flange at a point suitably close to the thread lugs so that it properly reinforces the flange to withstand the strains which are applied radially from within the flange when the I lugs are brought into tight engagement with the threads of the receptacle. If this reinforcing band were provided directly in the plane or region of the lugs it might result in making the lugs so rigid and unyielding as to prevent them from co-operating accordance with the character of the metal employed, and the otherwise inherant resiliency of the lugs.

A suitable packing as indicated at 11 may be employed within the closure for engaging the upper edge surface of the receptacle if desired.

As many changes could be made is this construction without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claim, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A receptacle closure comprising a cover portion and a flange portion formed from a single piece of sheet metal, the flange portion at the lower edge thereof being turned outwardly and upwardly to lie flat against itself and thereby provide a double thickness of metal circumferentially of the lower portion of the flange so that the flange is thus of double thickness metal in its lower annular portion and of single thickness meta-l ferentially at the lower edge. of the double thickness metal consisting of inwardly bent parts of the lower edge of the double thickness metal, said double thickness metal above said thread lugs being corrugated by a row of vertical corrugations extending circumferentially of the flange, the single thickness metal being corrugated by a row of vertical corrugations extending circumferentially of the flange spaced above the row of double thickness corrugations, an annular reinforcing bead outstanding upon the outer surface of the flange in the space between said row of single and double thickness corrugations said bead consisting of the outwardly, upwardly and inwardly bent upper annular edge part of the outer member of the double thickness metal, and the inwardly bent. portion of said head abutting snugly beneath the outwardly projecting lower edge of the upper row of corrugations so that the raw edge of metal in said head is protected and concealed by said upper row of corrugations.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

AUGUSTUS L. MERoLLEQ 

